es3vterian 


"sast    Oranere.   N 


November   loth,    J' 895 


Fa>tok:    DAVID   O.    IRVING 


Sex. 


^ 


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in  2011  with  funding  from 

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BETHEL 

Presbyterian  Church 

East  Orange,  N. 


AN 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE 


PREACHED  AT  THE 


Twenty-fifth    Anniversary 

OF   ITS   ORGANIZATION 

NOVEMBER  loth,  1895 

BY  THE 
PASTOR 

Rkv.  David  O.   Irvinc^ 


'  These  temples  of  God 's  grace 
How  beautiful  they  stand ! 
The  honors  of  our  native  place 
The  bulwarks  of  ottr  land" 


Thistle  Stationery  Company 
Sbl   Broad  Street 

Newark,  N.  J. 


"  Ye  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles 
and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  Himself  being  the  chief  corner- 
stone ;  in  whom  all  the  building  fitly  framed  together 
groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord." 

Ep/iisians.  2:  2o-2i. 


\HERE  are  niMltitttdes  who  go  in  and  ont, 
ivho  co7int  the  Chnrch  as  theirs,  who 
gather  from  her  thought,  knowledge, 
the  comfort  of  good  company,  the  sense 
of  safety ;  and  then  there  are  others 
who  think  they  truly,  as  the  li(^ht  phrase 
so  deeply  means,  '  behmg  to  the  Chnrch.' 
llicy  are  given  to  it,  and  no  coinp7ilsion  conld  separate 
them  p-om  it.  They  are  part  of  its  structjire.  They 
are  its  pillars.  Here  and  Jiereafter  they  can  never  go 
out  of  it.  Life  zuould  mean  nothing  to  them  outside 
the   Clmrch  of  Christ'' 


Rev.  Phillips  Brooks,  D.D. 


Twenty-fifth  Anniversary 
BETHEL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 


EAST  ORANGE,  N.  J. 


Psalm  118:15.      "The   voice  of  rejoicing  and  salvation 
is   in    the  tabernacles  of  the   righteous." 


NNIVEKSARV  occasions  should  be  times 
of  great  joy.     Songs  of  praise  and  grati- 
tude  should    be  heard    as   we    celebrate 
our  religious  birthdays.      Although    the 
sorrowful  is   mingled  with  the  joyful,   as 
we    regret    our    mistakes    and    mourn 
over    the  beloved  fellow-workers  now 
gone  to  their  reward,  yet  we  can  rejoice 
in   the    Lord  as   we  meditate    upon    His 
loving  kindness  and  tender  mercies  toward  our 
f         Church.     This  retrospect  should  also  strengthen 
our    trust    in    God    as    we  trace    His    leadings  and 
/,  blessings,  for  we  become  more  assured  that  He  who 

r  '  has  guided  us  in  the  past  will  not  neglect  us  in  the 
coming  days.  Our  history  can  also  be  read  for  encourage- 
ment and  inspiration,  as  we  trace  the  humble  beginnings  of 
religious  work  in  this  community  up  to  our  present  attainments. 
Our  eyes  are  so  often  turned  to  the  future  that  we  sometimes 
forget  that  much  can  be   learned   from  the  past.      Every  church 


ought  to  have  its  history  clearly  and  fully  written  so  that  every 
member  may  make  no  mistake  by  overlooking  certain  well 
defined  facts  which  enter  into  the  individual  character  of  that 
particular  church.  As  we,  therefore,  glance  over  the  past  and 
trace  God's  goodness  in  our  Church's  growth,  may  this  view 
increase  our  trust  in  God,  our  regard  for  each  other  and  our 
zeal  for  the  future. 

But  let  us  turn  the  pages  of  our  history  with  a  sense  of 
humility  rather  than  of  self-glory.  We  are  not  to  bring  before 
us  figures  and  comparisons  to  feed  our  pride  and  conceit,  for 
our  progress  has  been  owing  to  Divine  grace  and  goodness,  and 
not  wholly  dependent  upon  our  faithfulness  and  zeal.  God 
often  uses  the  weak  things  of  this  world  to  confound  the 
mighty,  so  that  there  is  no  need  of  boasting.  As  we  become 
somewhat  encouraged  over  the  retrospect  and  prospect,  let  us 
remember  our  own  mistakes  and  neglects.  If  we,  as  members 
of  this  Church,  had  been  more  faithful,  liberal,  devout  and 
earnest,  would  we  not  have  accomplished  greater  results  than 
we  now  behold?  But  we  cannot  alter  the  past.  We  can  only 
read  the  facts  as  history — "time's  slavish  scribe" — records  them, 
and  allow  them  to  make  their  own  impressions  upon  us. 

Compared  with  some  of  the  larger  and  more  venerable 
churches  in  our  vicinity,  we  seem  to  be  a  sort  of  Benjamin 
in  the  family  of  Israel.  When  we  think  of  the  one  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  years  of  the  old  First  Church  of  Orange,  or 
the  ninety-seven  years  which  rest  upon  the  F'irst  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Bloomfield,  or  the  sixty-four  years  which  belong  to 
both  the  Brick  Church  of  East  Orange  and  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  South  Orange,  we  begin  to  realize  that  our 
twenty-five  years  of  Church  life  are  but  a  short  period.  But 
while  our  Church's  existence  may  be  comparatively  brief,  yet 
our  Sunday  school  can  show  a  considerably  longer  life.  A 
review  of  our  Church,  therefore,  would  be  incomplete  without 
considering  the  history  of  the  Sunday  school.  Although  the 
latter  is  often  called  the  nursery  of  the  church,  in  this  case 
"the  child  is  father  to  the  man,"  for  the  school  is  the  parent  of 
the  Church.     This  is  only  one  of  other  similar  instances  where 


churches  have  had  their  beginnings  in  the  Sunday  school. 
With  such  a  fact  before  us  we  are  constantly  reminded  of  the 
Church's  debt  to  the  school. 

Let  us  consider  the  history  of 


THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

11/ T  is  to  the  credit  of  this  neighborhood  that  a  Sunday  school 
I       was  begun  as  early  as  in  other  parts  of  Orange,  and  almost 

as  soon  as  in    other  places  in  this  country.     The  modern 

revival  of  the  Sunday  school  in  America  dates  from  about 
the  year  1816.  We  are  told  that  "a  local  union  for  Sunday 
school  work  was  organized  in  New  York  in  1816;  another  in 
Boston  the  same  year,  and  another  in  Philadelphia  in  1817. 
These  societies  became  the  nucleus  of  the  American  Sunday 
School  Union,  a  national  society  organized  in  1824."* 

The  earliest  record  we  have  of  any  religious  movement  of  a 
distinctively  local  nature  was  in  1817.  Only  a  brief  account 
exists  of  the  minutes  of  a  meeting  of  the  Sunday  School  Com- 
mittee, as  follows:  "Monday  evening,  September  8th,  1817. 
The  managers  of  the  Sabbath  School  Society  met  to  make 
arrangements  for  procuring  books  for  the  use  of  the  school 
when  it  was  found  necessary  that  there  should  be  a  half  dozen 
catechism  primers  and  a  half  dozen  spelling  books  got,  which 
were  wanted  for  immediate  use,  and  four  dozen  religious  tracts 
or  such  other  books  as  are  made  use  of  to  distribute  among  the 
children  belonging  to  Sabbath  schools  as  premiums.  The 
Board  authorized  Mr.  C.  Dodd,  treasurer  of  the  society,  to 
purchase  the  above  mentioned  books.  Adjourned  to  meet  again 
on  Saturday  evening  next  at  seven  o'clock,  at  the  house  of 
J.  F.  Crowell. 

"Saturday  evening,  September  13th.     The  Board  of  Man- 


"  Yale  Lectures  on  the  Sunday  School,"  by  H.  C.  Trumbull. 

9 


agers  met  and  adjourned  to  meet  again  on  Saturday  evening 
next  at  the  house  of  Calvin  Dodd  at  seven  o'clock." 

All  further  record  of  this  religious  movement  in  this  locality 
has  been  lost,  but  the  facts  have  been  substantiated  by  those 
who  remember  that  there  was  such  a  school  and  by  one  who 
attended  it,  having  had  in  his  possession  one  of  the  tracts 
referred  to  above.  The  school  was  not  a  large  one,  and  it  was 
probably  of  a  mission  character.  The  place  of  meeting  is  not 
definitely  known,  although  tradition  says  that  it  was  in  one  of 
the  cooper  shops  near  our  present  Church.  This  community 
was  then  largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cider,  and 
cooper  shops  were  a  necessary  adjunct  to  the  apple  orchard. 
With  our  modern  temperance  ideas,  such  places  would  not  be 
selected  as  the  best  in  which  to  train  the  young  in  moral  and 
religious  truths.  But  people  in  the  good  old  days  were  not  so 
fastidious  about  their  places  of  worship.  The  two  members  of 
the  Board  whose  names  were  mentioned  were  Mr.  Calvin  Dodd, 
afterwards  one  of  the  first  elders  of  this  Church,  and  Mr.  J.  F. 
Crowell,  who  kept  a  large  store  on  North  Park  street  from 
1813  to  1816,  and  for  several  years  after  had  a  woolen  mill  for 
fulling  and  carding  wool,  in   connection  with  Mr.  Zebina  Dodd. 

The  reason  for  starting  such  a  religious  work  in  this  place 
and  at  that  time  was  a  great  revival  which  spread  over  all  this 
part  of  the  country.  The  only  church  then  in  Orange  was  the 
First  Presbyterian,  ministered  to  by  Rev.  Asa  Hillyer,  D.D. 
This  locality  was  one  of  his  preaching  stations.  In  the  Autumn 
and  Winter  of  1816  and  1817  this  revival  of  religion  spread 
through  Newark,  Elizabeth,  Bloomfield,  Caldwell  and  Orange. 
Dr.  Hillyer  was  assisted  in  his  work  by  two  young  men  from 
Princeton,  who  frequently  preached  and  held  meetings  for 
prayer  in  this  neighborhood.  One  result  of  that  revival  was 
that  the  First  Church  organized  its  first  Sunday  school  in  181 7. 
'1  he  school  in  this  locality  was  established  at  the  same  time 
and  was  probably  a  branch  of  the  First  Church  school.  How 
long  this  school  continued  we  have  no  means  of  knowing,  but 
it  did  exist  for  several  years. 

The  next  authentic  record  of  any  religious  work  of  a  local 


TJ 


nature  was  in  1825.  In  the  Spring  of  tliat  year  the  people, 
realizing  the  need  of  a  day  school  for  the  instruction  of  their 
children,  called  a  meeting  for  March  13th  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Zebina   Dodd,  when  the   following  resolutions    were    adopted  : 

"  Rc'solved,  That  we,  the  subscribers,   build  a  school  house   twenty   feet 
deep  by  thirty-four  in  length  and  two  stories  high. 

2.  "  /\t-soh'ed,  Thattherebe  seven  trustees  appointed  to  take  charge  of 
said  house  for  the  present  year. 

3.  "  J^esolvt'd,  That  the  house  be  known  by   the  name  of  the    Franklin 
School  of  North  Orange."* 

The  trustees  took  charge  of  the  school  April  25th.  1825, 
and  adopted  the  American  ten-cent  piece  as  the  common  seal. 
The  school  was  built  during  May  of  that  same  year  at  a  cost 
of  two  hundred  and  thirty-three  dollars  and  ninety-one  cents. 
The  upper  room  was  not  finished  until  1832.  The  Sunday 
school  used  this  building  for  its  meetings  and  adopted  its 
name,  being  known  as  "The  Franklin  Sunday  School,"  which 
was  afterwards  changed  to  "'I'he  Franklin  Union  Sunday 
School."  Weekly  preaching  services  were  held  every  Sunday 
and  the  people  maintained  a  prayer  meeting  every  Thursday 
evening.  In  1830  the  first  Bible  Class  was  formed,  taught  by 
Rev.  Asa  Hillyer,  D.  D.,  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  afterwards  by  Rev.  George  Pierson,  the  first  pastor  of 
Brick   Church. 

From  1832  to  1842  John  Condit  Wilkinson  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  Franklin  Sunday  School.  The  services  were  held 
in  the  upper  room,  which  was  void  of  furniture,  as  boards  were 
first  used  for  seats  in  truly  primitive  style,  until  more  com- 
fortable ones  could  be  provided.  The  people  brought  lath  and 
plaster  and  worked  at  night  to  finish  the  upper  room.  The 
school  also  had  no  Sunday  school  library.  Accordingly  Mr. 
Wilkinson  went  through  Bloomfield,  West  Bloomfield  (Mont- 
clair),  and  Orange  to  raise  a  subscription  of  fifty  dollars  to 
purchase  books  for  a  library.  In  1832  there  was  another  blessed 
revival    of    religion.     Special    meetings    were    held    in    the    old 

*  From  the  Book  of  Records  and  Accounts  of  Franklin  School. 


school  house  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  in  addition  to  those 
held  in  the  evenings.  It  was  a  time  when  the  cholera  prevailed 
in  New  York,  and  Mr.  Elias  O.  Meeker,  one  of  the  earnest 
workers  in  this  place  was  stricken  down  by  this  dreaded  disease. 
The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  widely  felt  throughout  this 
region  and  many  found  peace  in  believing  in  Christ. 

The  weekly  meetings  for  prayer  in  the  old  school  house 
during  those  years  were  not  amidst  the  greatest  comforts.  We 
can  borrow  Emerson's  description  of  a  similar  building  and  call 
it,  "The  old,  cold,  unpainted,  uncarpeLed  meeting-house." 
There  was  a  deficiency  of  the  bright  light  from  gas  or  even 
lamps,  for  every  one  furnished  his  own  candle.  There  was  no 
organ  or  piano,  but  the  precentor,  tuning  fork  in  hand,  raised 
the  tune.  They  had  no  music  books  and  none  of  our  modern 
hymns,  but  the  old  psalms,  set  to  metre,  were  freely  used.  We 
can  imagine  some  of  those  prayer  meetings  as  the  little 
assemblage  of  parents  and  children  gathers  in  the  old  school 
house.  A  dim  light  is  cast  by  the  flickering  candles.  A  mur- 
muring sound  of  conversation  arises  as  neighbors  interchange 
kind  inquiries  and  answers.  Presently  the  leader  arises  and 
gives  out  a  hymn,  the  psalm  books  are  brought  out  and  the 
chorister,  candle  in  hand,  starts  the  tune.  The  scripture  lesson 
is  read,  a  few  prayers  are  offered  and  exhortations  are  given 
and  the  meeting  is  dismissed.  But  that  dingy,  uninviting  and 
dimly  lighted  room  was  often  lighted  by  a  spiritual  flame. 
Those  meetings  were  sources  of  religious  power,  for  many 
earnest  prayers  were  put  up  to  God  from  that  place.  There 
souls  found  their  Saviour,  and  more  than  one  blessed  season  of 
revival  was  enjoyed  in  that  room.  Some  of  our  Church's 
faithful  workers  can  remember  the  devout  meetings  which  were 
held  in  that  old  building  and  their  lives  are  evidences  of  the 
good  which  was  there  accomplished.  Their  wishes  could  be 
truly  expressed  by  the  poet  : 

"  Here  may  we  gain  from  Heaven 
The  grace  which  we  implore, 
And  may  that  grace,  once  given. 
Be  with  us  evermore." 


The  gatherings  for  worship  were  not  large,  as  this  neigh- 
borhood consisted  principal!}-  of  farms.  Besides  the  inhabitants 
in  this  vicinity,  some  people  came  from  Watsessing  and  West 
Bloomfield,  as  Montclair  was  then  known.  In  1830  the  total 
population  of  Orange  was  only  three  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  eighty-seven,  and  in  1834  it  was  described  in  Gordon's 
History  of  New  Jersey  as  "A  straggling  village  and  post  town, 
extending  about  three  miles  above  the  turnpike  from  Newark 
toward  Dover,  containing  two  Presbyterian  Churches,  one 
Episcopal  and  one  Methodist  ;  two  taverns,  ten  stores,  two 
sawmills  and  a  bark  mill,  and  from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred 
and  thirty  dwellings,  many  of  them  very  neat  and  commodious. 
A  large  trade  is  carried  on  in  the  manufacture  of  leather,  shoes 
and  hats."  "  In  those  days,"  said  one  of  the  early  settlers, 
"  Orange  looked  out  for  the  head  and  the  feet  of  a  great  part 
of  the  population.  We  made  nothing  else,  but  we  had  the  satis- 
faction of  knowing  that  our  place  was  necessary  for  those  two 
important  points." 

All  record  of  the  history  of  the  Sunday  school  for  a  few  years 
is  lost.  It  probably  had  a  changeable  and  fluctuating  experience 
between  the  years  1842  and  1S48.  In  the  latter  year  Mr.  David 
Riker  assumed  control  as  the  superintendent  for  about  four 
years,  when,  owing  to  lack  of  workers  and  interest,  it  again 
seemed  to  wane  in  power.  The  members  fell  off  and  the  sessions 
were  held  only  during  the  Summer  months  for  a  year  or  two. 
About  1854  some  of  the  people  came  together  again  and 
reopened  and  reorganized  the  school.  One  of  the  workers  at 
that  time  said:  "  We  met  in  the  upper  room  of  the  old  F'ranklin 
schoolhouse  and  opened  the  school  with  singing,  as  there  was  no 
one  who  could  open  it  with  pra3'er.  Soon  after  Mr.  David  Riker 
was  elected  superintendent  and  the  school  grew  rapidly  in 
numbers."  Among  all  these  teachers  there  was  only  one 
professing  Christian,  and  the  newly  elected  superintendent  was 
the  only  one  who  was  willing  to  pray  in  public.  The  exercises 
of  the  school,  according  to  our  modern  ideas,  were  by  no  means 
attractive,  which  may  account  for  the  falling  off  in  attendance 
from  time  to  time.      The  services  were  very  plain.      There  was 

14 


no  organ.  In  place  of  the  bright  hymns  of  our  time  the  scholars 
sang  from  a  psalm  book  several  times,  but  always  to  one  or  at 
most  to  but  few  tunes.  There  was  a  monotony  about  the 
services  which  must  h.ive  been  wearisome  at  times  even  to  the 
most  zealous.  Prayer  was  offered  and  a  portion  of  Scripture 
read  to  the  school.  The  catechism  was  recited,  some  texts  of 
the  Bible  were  learned,  and  a  lesson,  announced  the  previous 
week,  was  taught.  There  were  no  lesson  helps  nor  Sunday 
school  papers  and  a  poor  apology  for  a  library  ;  but  the 
teachers  were  faithful  and  God  blessed  the  feeble  efforts. 

The  school  met  at  half  past  one  every  Sunday  until  1S59 
when  the  hour  of  opening  was  changed  to  two  o'clock.  The 
election  of  officers  was  held  at  first  every  three  months  until  two 
years  after  they  were  chosen  to  hold  office  for  six  months.  Under 
the  new  management  the  school  increased  rapidly  in  numbers 
and  interest,  until  there  were  enrolled  fourteen  teachers  and 
seventy  scholars.  The  amount  of  money  raised  by  the  school 
at  that  time  was  between  thirty  and  forty  dollars  every  year. 

Soon  after  the  school  was  reorganized  Mr.  H.  L.  Wilson, 
then  one  of  the  teachers  and  leading  workers  in  the  cause, 
arranged  with  the  different  clergymen  to  hold  preaching 
services  every  Sunday.  The  undenominational  character  of 
the  work  is  seen  from  the  list  of  ministers  who  preached  in  turn. 
They  were  Rev.  James  Hoyt,  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  ; 
Rev.  John  Crowell,  of  Brick  Church  ;  Rev.  James  Williams, 
rector  of  St.  Mark's  Episcopal  Church,  and  Rev.  James  S.  Bush, 
of  Grace  Church  ;  Rev.  Mr.  Freeman  represented  the  Methodist 
denomination,  and  the  Baptists  were  represented  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Smith,  of  the  Bloomfield  Baptist  Church.  These  ministers  also 
organized  and  took  charge  of  a  weekly  prayer  meeting.  The 
interior  of  the  building  was  improved,  and  the  luxury  of  having 
lamps  with  shades  for  the  pulpit  was  obtained.  About  twenty 
dollars  were  raised  annually  from  these  Sunday  services,  but  as 
the  ministers  labored  without  charge,  the  amount  contributed 
was  used  to  defray  the  current  expenses  needed  in  maintaining 
these  religious  services. 

Such  a  spirit  of  unity  and   Christian  fellowship  among  the 

15 


different  denominations  could  only  result  in  great  good,  so  that 
we  are  not  surprised  to  read  that  in  1858  a  gracious  revival  of 
religion  again  spread  over  all  this  region.  "It  was  a  time  of 
great  financial  crisis,  which  was  spreading  anxiety  and  gloom 
over  the  whole  country."  But  Christians  came  together  with  one 
accord,  to  pray  for  the  blessing.  In  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  a  daily  morning  prayer  meeting  was  held  which  con- 
tinued from  January  until  June.  In  March  a  union  noonday 
prayer  meeting  was  held  by  all  the  denominations  in  Willow 
Hall,  which  lasted  for  more  than  two  months.  The  old  school- 
house  in  this  place  was  also  opened  in  which  to  hold  these 
gracious  meetings.  On  Wednesday  and  Friday  evenings  of  each 
week  and  every  day  at  noon  the  people  came  together  to  pour 
out  their  souls  in  prayer  to  God.  All  classes  were  reached,  even 
the  children  and  those  indifferent  to  Christ's  claims  and  calls 
were  recipients  of  the  blessing.  The  meetings  were  conducted 
quietly  and  without  excitement.  The  effect  was  very  extensive 
and  lasting.  About  forty  from  this  community,  including  those 
who  had  reorganized  the  Sunday  school,  united  with  the  dif- 
ferent churches. 

The  Sunday  school  soon  after  this  showed  its  increased  inter- 
est in  the  Lord's  work  by  raising  money  for  the  home  mission 
cause.  For  a  few  years  between  ten  and  fifteen  dollars  were  con- 
tributed annually  to  the  missionaries  of  the  American  Sunday 
School  Union.  This  amount  was  increased  until,  in  1864,  fifty 
dollars  was  sent  to  that  cause.  The  amount  of  good  which  was 
accomplished  at  that  time  can  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  many 
interesting  letters  which  the  missionaries  sent  to  the  school. 
One  sum  of  twelve  dollars  was  divided  into  two  parts  and  used 
in  assisting  two  schools  in  Ohio,  one  containing  ninety  and  the 
other  seventy  members.  "I  assure  you,"  wrote  the  missionary, 
"  the  donation  was  very  acceptable.  Most  of  the  men  have  gone 
to  the  war,  the  country  is  new,  the  people  are  poor  and  the 
children  are  anxious  to  go  to  Sunday  school.  They  made  up 
some  money  among  themselves  and  by  your  help  they  can  get 
along  quite  well."  Aid  was  given  to  schools  in  Kentucky,  Mich- 
io-an,  West  Virginia,  Illinois,  Indiana  and   other  needy  places  in 

16 


the  Home  Mission  field.  Sometimes  the  gifts  were  used  to 
secure  a  library  for  some  poor  school,  and  at  other  times  to  assist 
in  starting  a  new  school  or  to  revive  an  old  one.  In  many  ways 
thesecontributions  from  the  Franklin  Sunday  School  were  blessed 
by  God  in  the  destitute  portions  of  our  land.  The  patriotic 
spirit  of  the  school  was  shown  in  October,  1865,  when  twenty- 
four  dollars  and  twenty-three  cents  were  raised  as  a  contribution 
to  the  National  Lincoln  Monument  at  Springfield,  Illinois. 

On  the  resignation  of  Mr.  David  Riker  from  the  position  of 
superintendent,  Mr.  Crane  was  chosen  to  fill  that  office  on 
January  3,  1859.  He  remained  in  that  position  until  the  Autumn 
of  1865,  when  he  resigned  and  moved  away  for  a  time,  and  was 
succeeded  in  September  of  that  year  by  Mr.  I.  H.  Gerry.  In 
October  considerable  religious  interest  was  manifested. 
"Deacon"  Calvin  Pierson,  as  he  was  universally  called,  took 
a  class  of  young  men,  and  all  in  his  class,  consisting  of  eight  or 
ten,  were  converted  during  that  revival  and  became  earnest 
Christian  workers.  It  is  fitting  that  special  mention  should  be 
made  of  this  devoted  seeker  after  souls,  who,  although  an  elder 
in  Brick  Church,  always  showed  considerable  interest  in  the 
religious  welfare  of  this  place.  No  one  was  more  faithful  in 
attending  the  prayer  meetings  or  in  taking  part  in  them.  He 
did  not  confine  his  efforts  only  to  the  religious  services,  but  in 
private  conversation  he  would  seek  to  press  home  to  the  hearts 
of  friends  and  acquaintances  the  claims  of  Christ.  More  than 
one  is  indebted  to  his  quiet  zeal  and  consistent  Christian  life  for 
their  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  This  example  is  a 
standing  proof  of  the  wide  influence  which  a  single  earnest  soul 
can  exert. 

This  "  great  revival,"  as  it  was  then  called,  was  said  to  have 
"emanated  in  and  from  this  centre."  One  who  was  present  and 
participated  in  its  blessings  writes  :  "  From  late  in  the  month 
of  November  on  to  the  first  of  January,  I  think  we  never 
experienced  before  so  fully  the  manifest  power  of  God's  Spirit 
in  our  midst.  We  were  praying  and  laboring  week  after  week, 
holding  special  meetings  for  prayer  during  each  week,  and 
notwithstanding  up   to   the  last   days  of  the  year  and  to  the  eve 

17 


of  the  New  Year,  on  which  we  held  a  meeting,  the  room  tilled 
with  anxious  souls,  many  deeply  anxious  for  the  salvation  of 
their  souls  and  praying  that  God  in  Christ  Jesus  would  lead 
these  troubled  hearts  to  Him,  yet  at  the  close  of  that  meeting 
not  a  soul  had  expressed  himself  as  having  found  the  Saviour 
or  any  relief  for  his  burdens.  We  resolved  to  appoint  a  meeting 
for  next  morning  at  nine  o'clock.  We  obtained  through  Brother 
C.  D.  Pierson  the  attendance  of  Rev.  James  H.  Taylor,  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  (Brick)  Church.  He  came  over  and  took 
charge  of  the  meeting.  We  held  a  service  of  full  one  and  a 
half  hour  and  yet  it  was  manifest  that  no  peace  was  found  for  a 
single  soul.  Mr.  Taylor  said  that  we  had  been  together  a  long 
time  and  advised  us  all  to  go  home  to  our  closets,  and  dismissed 
the  meeting  with  the  benediction.  But  not  a  person  left  his 
seat,  for  every  one  sat  down  again.  And  now  the  time  had 
come  through  God's  blessing  when  many  were  willing  to  yield 
and  open  their  hearts  to  the  blessed  Saviour  who  entered  and 
said  '  Peace  '  to  many  of  those  burdened  hearts.  Such  rejoicing 
as  there  was  only  a  newly  saved  soul  can  experience." 

One  result  of  that  revival  was  to  lead  the  people  to  take 
measures  to  procure  a  larger  and  more  suitable  building  in 
which  to  hold  their  Sunday  school  services.  The  school  had 
grown  to  a  membership  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-four.  It  was 
the  only  school  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  time  was  felt  to  be  ripe 
for  the  erection  of  a  building  which  would  be  devoted  exclu- 
sively to  religious  worship.  Accordingly  a  lot  was  purchased,  in 
the  Spring  of  1866,  from  Mr.  Reuben  Dodd,  adjoining  his 
residence  on  the  west,  for  five  hundred  dollars.  The  Franklin 
Union  Sunday  School  was  then  incorporated.  In  June  of  that 
year  subscriptions  were  received  for  the  erection  of  a  chapel. 
These  were  contributed  mainly  by  the  people  of  the  district 
who  were  interested  in  the  movement.  Some  of  the  contri- 
butions were  also  given  by  members  of  other  churches,  of  all 
denominations,  in  Orange,  but  by  none  of  the  churches  as  an 
organization.  It  may  be  well  to  emphasize  this  fact,  because 
the  idea  is  prevalent  in  some  places  that  the  Franklin  Sunday 
School  was  a  mission  of  the  old  First  Church,  while  others  have 

18 


regarded  it  as  belonging  to  Brick  Church.  Some  of  its  workers 
were  prominent  members  of  both  churches,  but  from  the  first  it 
was  an  independent  work,  and  was  supported  wholly  by  local 
contributions.  Although  it  was  at  the  close  of  our  Civil  War,  when 
everything  had  an  inflated  value,  when  coal  could  be  purchased 
for  seven  dollars  for  half  a  ton,  so  that  it  was  a  most  expensive 
time  in  which  to  erect  a  building,  yet  the  people  contributed 
liberally.  The  building  cost,  when  completed,  five  thousand 
five  hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars  and  forty-three  cents, 
which,  when  added  to  the  lot,  brought  the  total  to  six  thousand 
and  twenty-two  dollars  and  forty-three  cents.  Of  this  amount 
about  thirty-three  hundred  dollars  were  raised  by  subscription, 
about  sixteen  hundred  dollars  were  the  proceeds  from  a  fair, 
and  twelve  hundred  dollars  mortgage  was  placed  upon  the 
building.  The  size  of  the  structure  was  about  fifty  feet  by 
thirty,  and  was  considered  sufficient  for  many  years  to  come. 
Into  this  new  building,  beautiful  and  stately  in  contrast  to 
the  old,  marched  the  school  on  the  Sunday  of  its  dedication. 
The  old  schoolhouse  had  answered  its  purpose,  and  the  old  had 
to  give  way  to  the  new.  But  many  blessed  associations  clus- 
tered around  that  dingy  old  building,  and  some  now  living, 
while  more  who  have  passed  into  God's  kingdom  above,  retain 
sweet  memories  of  that  sacred  place,  where  they  found  the 
Saviour  and  received  His  pardon  and  peace.  But  these  hal- 
lowed places  grow  more  blessed  as  time  goes  by,  so  that 
probably  all  entered  the  new  chapel  with  feelings  of  hope  and 
joy,  while  the  desire  for  comfortable  surroundings  took  away 
all  regret  at  leaving  the  old  building  where  God's  Spirit  so  often 
manifested  Himself.  The  old  schoolhouse  continued  to  be 
used  as  a  public  school  until  the  new  building  was  erected,  in 
1872,  and  it  was  afterwards  used  as  the  meeting  place  for  the 
Congregational  and  the  Ferry  Methodist  churches.  It  was  torn 
down  in  1891  to  make  way  for  needed  improvements. 

The  chapel  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  services  in 
November,  1866,  a  number  of  Orange  ministers  being  present 
and  making  short  addresses.  At  first  the  infant  department  was 
held   in   the  basement,  but   in  1872   an  addition  was  built  at  an 


expense  of  thirteen  luindred  and  fifty  dollars,  which  was  used 
by  this  department  of  the  school,  and  also  for  many  years  by 
the  prayer  meeting,  until  it  became  too  small  for  this  purpose. 
The  chapel  was  used  for  four  years  by  the  Franklin  Union 
Sunday  School  and  for  twenty-one  years  as  the  place  of  worship 
for  the  Bethel  Presbyterian  Church.  Probably  it  was  not  the 
intention  of  its  builders  to  occupy  it  for  these  twenty-five  years, 
but  only  to  meet  the  needs  of  that  time  or  until  a  church  should 
be  erected,  for  while  it  was  a  substantial  and  an  eminently 
suitable  structure,  yet  it  was  not  ceiled  within,  nor  did  it  have 
more  than  a  small  coal  cellar  underneath. 

With  the  erection  of  this  new  building  a  change  seemed 
to  come  over  the  character  of  the  place.  We  no  longer  read 
of  blessed  seasons  of  revival.  In  this  respect  the  glory  of  the 
former  house  was  greater  than  that  of  the  latter.  In  addition, 
a  division  of  sentiment  seemed  to  separate  the  workers,  and 
instead  of  a  strong  and  harmonious  school  an  unfortunate 
difference  arose  in  the  community  which  divided  the  work  into 
two  factions.  Without  entering  into  the  cause  or  justice  of 
this  division,  let  us  read  the  facts  as  history  lays  them  bare 
and  consider. 


II. 

THE  FRANKLIN   DISTRICT  CONGREGATIONAL 

CHURCH. 

POR  some  time  a  feeling  had  prevailed  among  some  of  the 
workers  in  the  Sunday  school  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
neighborhood  that  a  church  should  be  established  in 
this  place,  as  the  nearest  ones  were  in  Orange,  Brick  Church 
and  Bloomfield.  This  desire  resulted  in  a  meeting  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Calvin  Dodd  on  the  evening  of  May  24th,  1867, 
"to  take  into  consideration  the  establishment  of  meetings 
for  prayer  and  social  worship  by  those  desiring  a  church 
organization."     On    the    thirty-first    of    May,    at    an    adjourned 


meeting,   the    following  preamble   and    resolution    were    unani- 
mously adopted  : 

"  Whereas,  We,  representative  members  of  the  Franklin  District  Com- 
munity of  East  Orange,  and  members  of  different  Christian  denominations, 
desirous  of  identifying  ourselves  more  fully  with  the  religious  interests  and 
growth  of  our  immediate  neighborhood,  and  for  efficiency  and  fellowship  as 
workers  in  one  common  field  of  labor,  believing  that  in  the  embodiment  of 
the  religious  element  in  one  evangelical  organization  upon  such  basis  of 
belief  as  will  best  unite  the  denominations  represented  to  be  the  plain  dictate 
of  Christian  judgment  ;   therefore, 

''Resolved,  That  with  the  blessing  of  God,  we  will  form  at  the  earliest 
practical  moment  a  Congregational  Church,  believing  that  form  of  govern- 
ment best  adapted  to  our  necessities  and  conducive  to  our  temporal  pros- 
perity and  growth  in  grace." 

Meetings  were  held  at  the  old  schoolhouse,  preaching 
services  commencing  in  July.  On  August  27th  a  committee 
was  chosen  to  agree  on  "Articles  of  Faith,  Rules  of  Government, 
and  prepare  a  list  of  members  desirous  of  uniting  with  the 
Church,  and  take  all  necessary  steps  to  complete  the  organiza- 
tion of  Church  and  society."  A  meeting  was  held  on  January 
13th,  186S,  when  this  committee  made  its  report  and  presented 
the  names  of  thirty  persons  who  had  brought  their  letters  from 
other  churches  and  those  who  were  afterwards  received  on 
profession  of  faith.  Officers  were  elected  and  Rev.  Mr.  Harris 
was  chosen  pastor  for  a  year  at  a  salary  of  seven  hundred 
and  eighty  dollars.  On  the  twenty-ninth  of  the  same  month  an 
ecclesiastical  council  was  convened  to  recognize  the  new  church. 
The  council  had  representatives  from  the  Orange  Valley  Church; 
the  Grove  Street  Church,  of  East  Orange;  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church,  of  Newark;  Broadway  Tabernacle,  of  New  York 
city,  and  the  New  England  Church,  of  Brooklyn.  The  follow- 
ing resolution  was  adopted  by  this  council  : 

"Resolved,  That  having  looked  carefully  into  the  history  which  has  led  to 
the  organization  of  the  Franklin  District  Congregational  Church,  and  having 
examined  their  documents,  manual,  etc.,  we  approve  of  their  organization, 
and  welcome  this  Church   into  the  fellowship  of  the  churches." 

A    public    service    of    recognition    was    held   on   that    same 

23 


evening,  when  a  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  M.  E.  Strieby 
and  an  address  delivered  by  Rev.  L.  W.  Bacon. 

In  this  manner  the  Congregational  Church  was  organized 
with  Mr.  Thomas  Lippiatt  as  superintendent  of  its  Sunday 
school.  Mr.  Gerry  continued  as  superintendent  of  the  Franklin 
Union  Sunday  School.  This  unfortunate  division  led  to  some 
injudicious  acts  which  were  required  to  be  settled  by  the  civil 
law  .In  the  minutes  of  the  Franklin  Sunda}'  School  the  follow- 
ing record  appears:  "The  Chapel  was  forcibly  entered  on  the 
night  of  the  fifth  or  sixth  of  June,  1868,  by  some  person  or  persons 
connected  with  the  organization  calling  itself  the  Franklin 
District  Congregational  Church.  The  chapel  was  first  occupied 
for  service  by  the  above  named  society  on  Sunday,  June 
2ist,  1868." 

The  Franklin  Union  Sunda}^  School  therefore  adjourned  to 
the  house  of  its  superintendent  and  on  every  pleasant  Sunday 
the  school  was  held  under  the  trees,  until  the  differences 
between  the  two  factions  were  legally  settled,  when  the  school 
returned  to  its  former  building.  After  the  Congregational 
Church  was  disbanded,  in  time  many  of  its  members  returned 
to  the  old  Sunday  school,  and  the  breach  eventually  was 
healed. 

Those  in  charge  of  the  Congregational  Church,  among 
whom  was  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  made  overtures  to  the  Church  Ex- 
tension Committee  of  the  Presbytery  to  have  the  church  taken 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  Congregational  body  and  made  over  to 
the  Presbytery.  To  this  suggestion  the  Committee  of  Pres- 
bytery objected,  fearing  that  some  trouble  might  arise,  but 
advised  that  the  Congregational  Church  first  disband  and  then 
allow  the  committee  to  form  a  Presbyterian  church  out  of  the 
people  who,  of  their  own  will  and  choice,  were  inclined  to  join 
a  Presbyterian  church.  This  suggestion  was  accepted  and 
there  was  accordingly  formed. 


24 


III. 
THE  BETHEL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Wl]  COMMITTEE  of  Presbytery,  consisting  of  Kev.  Eldredge 
Mix,  D.D.,  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Orange; 
Rev.  Henrv  F.  Hickok.  D.D.,  and  Elder  Calvin  D.  Pierson, 
of  Brick  Church,  of  Iiast  Orange,  met  in  the  Sunday 
school  chapel  on  November  13th,  1870,  and  organized  the  Bethel 
Presbyterian  Church,  of  East  Orange.  There  were  twenty-seven 
names  enrolled,*  some  of  whom  were  received  from  the  two 
Presbyterian  churches  of  Orange  and  East  Orange,  and  some 
from  the  recently  disbanded  Congregational  Church.  Mr. 
Charles  M.  Davis  was  elected  elder  and  Rev.  James  H.  Marr 
was  chcsen  pastor.  The  Sunday  school  property  was  deeded 
to  the  Presbytery,  who  in  turn  transferred  the  deed  to  the  church. 
Trustees  were  elected  and  the  organization  was  regularly  incor- 
porated. The  name.  Bethel — "  House  of  God  " — was  given  to 
the  Church  by  the  pastor,  and  in  its  acceptance  by  the  founders 
and  organizers  of  the  Church,  their  desires  for  its  future  were 
best  expressed  :  As  God's  house,  may  its  name  ever  be  kept 
sacred  and  its  character  always  true  to  its  name.  The  under- 
taking was  begun  in  weakness  but  in  great  faith.  It  started 
amidst  many  trials  and  difficulties,  financial  and  otherwise,  but 
God's  blessing  rested  upon  that  small  band  of  followers,  and 
He  has  mercifully  led  them  through  all  their  discouragements. 

Our  Church  is  the  same  age  as  our  Presbytery.  After  the 
reunion  of  the  old  and  new  school  branches  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  the  I'nited  States  of  America,  the  several 
Presbyteries  had  to  be  reorganized.  The  churches  of  Orange 
were  formerly  in  the  Presbytery  of  Passaic.  On  June  21st, 
1870,  they  were  transferred  to  the  new  Presbytery  of  Morris  and 
Orange,  which  held  its  first  meeting  in  the  First  Church  of 
Orange,  July  6th.  Our  Church  is  the  first  one  enrolled  on  the 
Presbytery's  list  of  new  churches.  Since  then  we  have  seen  five 
Presbyterian    churches    organized    in    Orange    as   follows  :    St. 

*  See  appendix. 


Cloud,  of  West  Orange  ;  Hillside  and  Orange  Valley,  German, 
of  Orange  ;  Arlington  Avenue,  of  East  Orange,  and  Trinity,  of 
South  Orange.  There  have  also  been  the  following  five 
churches  organized  in  our  community  :  Washington  Street  and 
Prospect  Street,  Baptist  ;  Watsessing  and  F'erry,  Methodist,  and 
St.  Paul's,  Episcopal. 

At  first  the  Church  was  dependent  upon  the  Board  of  Home 
Missions  for  financial  assistance,  but  through  the  earnest  efforts 
of  the  pastor  it  became  self-supporting,  the  building  was 
refurnished,  an  addition  was  built  and  all  its  indebtedness  was 
paid.  Mr.  Marr's  work  at  first  was  one  of  laying  foundations 
and  collecting  materials  to  build  upon  them.  His  power  of 
organizing,  which  he  had  obtained  from  his  experience  in  other 
similar  fields,  was  fully  called  into  play  in  his  work  in  this 
locality.  There  were  many  difficulties  to  contend  whh,  chief 
among  which  were  the  small  number  of  workers,  the  changeable 
character  of  the  neighborhood  and  the  financial  crisis  the 
country  passed  through.  All  these  discouragements  would  have 
wearied  the  heart  of  many  another,  but  with  his  characteristic 
determination  and  perseverance  Mr.  Marr  conquered  them  and 
was  able  to  build  up  a  well  organized  church  with  a  large 
membership  and  a  still  larger  Sunday  school.  The  increase 
was  felt  the  first  year  when  the  twenty-seven  charter  members 
advanced  to  fifty-one,  and  the  following  year  to  seventy-two. 

The  session  of  the  Church  was  enlarged  on  January  5th, 
1872,  by  the  election  of  Mr.  Calvin  Dodd,  formerly  an  elder  in 
Brick  Church,  and  Mr.  Josiah  F.  Dodd.  Mr.  Calvin  Dodd 
resigned  from  active  service,  "owing  to  infirmities  of  age,"  in 
the  following  year.  At  a  Congregational  meeting,  held  May 
4th,  1875,  the  session  was  changed  from  the  permanent  to  the 
rotary  system  of  election  and  the  following  resolution  was 
passed  : 

"  In  view  of  the  wants  of  this,  the  Bethel  Church,  as  a  church  of  Christ. 

''Resolved,  ist,  That  this  Church  substitute  for  the  permanent  eldership 
and  the  permanent  eldership  system  that  which  is  known  as  the  rotary. 

"2d,  That  this  Church  now  elect  three  elders  to  serve  until  the  annual 

26 


cxVv 


election  of  officers  in  1S7S,  1877  and  1876,  as  they  shall  themselves  determine 
by  the  drawing  of  the  lot. 

"  3d,  That  hereafter,  at  the  annual  election  of  officers,  this  Church  elect 
anew  an  elder  for  a  three  years'  term  of  service." 

The  elders  elected  were  :  Messrs.  Ira  H.  Patrey,  VV.  Irven 
Soverel  and  Charles  M.  Riker.  In  1878  Mr.  William  S.  Mills 
was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  retirement  of  Mr. 
Ira  H.  Patrey.  In  1881  the  session  was  increased  from  three 
to  five  elders  by  the  election  of  Messrs.  George  K.  Sutphen  and 
Thomas  J.  Davis.  The  latter  ceasing  to  act  on  his  departure 
from  Orange,  Mr.  James  R.  T.  McCarroll  was  elected  to  fill  the 
vacancy  in  1887.  The  following  year  Mr.  A.  B.  Spinning, 
formerly  an  elder  in  the  New  York  Presbyterian  Church,  was 
added  to  the  session,  which  thus  increased  its  number  to  six. 
Mr.  Herbert  F.  Soverel  was  elected  in  1892  and  Mr.  Wm.  B. 
Martin  in  1894.  Of  the  twelve  elders  who  have  served  the 
Church  in  this  capacity  only  two  have   been  removed  by  death. 

The  Sunday  school,  under  the  care  of  the  Church,  its  new 
guardian,  continued  to  grow  in  numbers.  At  first  it  held  a 
somewhat  separate  and  independent  existence,  electing  its  own 
ofificers  and  transacting  its  own  business.  This  it  no  doubt  felt 
itself  entitled  to  do  as  it  had  its  own  constitution  and  was 
entirely  self-supporting.  But  on  January  iSth,  1874,  it  adopted 
its  new  constitution  so  as  to  bring  it  under  the  care  of  the 
Church.     The  preamble  to  that  constitution  reads  as  follows  : 

"  Whereas,  early  in  this  century  there  was  established  in  this  neighbor- 
hood a  Sunday  school  which,  with  a  few  but  brief  intermissions,  has  con- 
tinued until  the  present  time  ;  and 

"  Whereas,  during  this  long  period  its  name  has  been  several  times 
changed,  and  its  constitution  altered  or  altogether  laid  aside;  and 

"Whereas,  the  time  seems  to  have  come  when  its  connection  with  the 
Church  should  be  recognized,  and  a  constitution  defining  its  present  relations 
and  character  be  adopted; 

"Therefore,  we,  the  friends  and  teachers  of  the  Sunday  school  in  Dodd- 
town,  do  hereby  adopt  the  following  constitution: 

"  Article  i.  This  organization  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  Sabbath 
School  of  the  Bethel  Presbyterian  Church." 

A  Still  closer  relation   with   the  Church   has  been  formed  by 

2q 


placing  itself  under  the  care  of  the  session.  This  object  was 
accomplished  gradually  and  naturally.  As  the  workers  in  the 
school  and  the  Church  became  identical  the  interests  of  the  two 
became  united.  As  the  school  is  considerably  older  than  the 
Church  it  has  maintained  its  seniority  by  being  the  larger  body. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  two  bodies  will  become  still  more  closely 
bound  together  so  that  more  of  the  scholars  may  identify  them- 
selves with  the  Church,  and  that  the  Church  will  take  upon  itself 
the  entire  financial  support  of  the  school.  A  great  power  for 
good  lies  within  the  reach  of  this  branch  of  the  Church  and  it 
should  be  worked  "with  the  best  of  modern  appliances  and 
methods.  Already  the  infant  department  has  had  to  be  divided 
so  as  to  form  in  addition  an  intermediate  room.  The  total 
membership  of  the  school  at  last  report  was  three  hundred  and 
ninety-seven.  It  has  been  a  great  blessing  to  the  Church  and 
community,  but  we  should  not  rest  satisfied  with  what  has  been 
done,  but  press  on  with  greater  hopes  to  new  attainments. 

After  having  served  this  Church  faithfully  and  zealously  for 
more  than  eleven  years,  Mr.  Marr  resigned  his  charge  January, 
1882,  to  accept  a  larger  and  more  promising  field  in  the 
Kensington  district  of  Philadelphia.  During  that  time  he  had 
been  instrumental  in  raising  the  membership  from  twenty-seven 
to  one  hundred  and  sixty-five.  The  Sunday  school  also 
increased  under  his  leadership  and  care  to  two  hundred 
members.  As  the  first  pastor,  he  worked  hard  to  contribute 
to  the  Church's  success.  He  has  laid  the  foundation  and 
another  is  privileged  to  build  thereupon. 

The  Church  was  left  without  a  pastor  for  four  months, 
when  it  called  Rev.  David  O.  Irving,  then  just  leaving  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary.  The  call  was  accepted  and  the  ordina- 
tion and  installation  services  took  place  on  May  2d,  1882,  under 
the  charge  of  the  Presbytery  of  Morris  and  Orange.  Rev. 
Thomas  Carter,  of  Boonton,  the  moderator  of  the  Presbytery, 
presided  and  propounded  the  constitutional  questions.  The 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Alfred  Yeomans,  D.D.,  pastor  of 
the  Central  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Orange,  from  the  text,  John 
15:16:     "I  have  chosen  you  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should  go 

30 


^-W--vC 


(p  X 


^-T/T--*-*^ 


and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  i^emain."  Rev. 
David  Irving,  D.D.,  delivered  a  charge  full  of  feeling  and 
tenderness  to  the  pastor.  Rev.  James  H.  Marr  delivered  a 
loving  and  earnest  charge  to  the  people.  It  is  very  startling  to 
know  that  all  of  those  ministers  who  took  part  in  that  service 
have  been  called  home  to  a  service  above. 

For  a  few  years  the  growth  of  the  Church  was  slow,  owing 
to  the  stationary  condition  of  the  neighborhood.  Gradually,  as 
local  improvements  increased,  the  people  began  to  move  into 
this  neighborhood,  and  the  Church  felt  the  change.  New  work- 
ers often  meant  new  work.  Societies  were  organized  and  set 
at  work.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  started  in  1885,  which 
raised  funds  to  paint  and  paper  the  interior  of  the  building,  to 
procure  reflectors  whereby  gas  could  be  used  as  an  illuminator 
in  place  of  oil,  to  purchase  a  larger  organ,  and  to  meet  the 
expenses  connected  with  the  Christmas  entertainments  for  the 
Sunday  school.  x\  Young  Ladies'  Missionary  Society  was 
organized  in  February,  1S88,  which  has  increased  an  interest  in 
the  cause  of  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  and  which  has  sent 
contributions  of  money  and  clothing  to  those  in  destitute  parts 
of  the  world.  This  organization  also  seeks  to  train  the  younger 
girls,  and  it  has  charge  of  the  Band  of  Willing  Aids.  Another 
society,  somewhat  similar  in  aim,  but  which  seeks  to  help  those 
nearer  home,  was  started  on  November  26th,  1889,  and  was 
called  the  Ladies'  Home  Missionary  Society.  Money  and  boxes 
of  clothing  have  been  given  to  local  charitable  institutions,  to 
the  poor  of  New  York  city,  and  to  many  a  needy  Home  Mis- 
sionary family.  The  need  of  reaching  and  training  the  young 
people  was  felt,  and  a  Christian  Endeavor  Society  was  formed 
on  December  5th,  1890.  It  has  grown  from  its  fourteen  charter 
members  to  fifty-two  active,  twenty  associate  and  three  honorary 
members.  Its  three  committees  at  its  organization  have 
increased  till  they  number  seven.  More  than  twenty  of  its 
members  have  united  with  the  Church  during  the  history  of  the 
society.  Flowers  are  sent  every  week  during  the  Summer  to 
the  Flower  Mission,  of  New  York  city,  and  money  is  contributed 
annually  to  missions.     On  December  8th,  1892,  a  Junior  Chris- 

33 


tian  Endeavor  Society  was  formed,  uhicli  liolds  weekly  meetings 
except  during  the  three  Summer  months.  Starting  with  twent\'- 
three  members,  it  has  grown  to  sixty.  These  children  are 
taught  the  need  of  giving  to  those  in  poverty  and  want,  and 
of  taking  a  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  missions  at  home  and 
abroad,  and  they  have  early  shown  their  benevolent  spirit. 

In  glancing  over  the  work  of  the  Church  for  the  last  twenty- 
five  years  we  may  find  some  facts  to  encourage  us  even  if  we 
record  them  in  no  boastful  feeling  but  in  the  spirit  of  humility. 
Looking  first  at  the  financial  condition  of  the  Church  we  note 
that  there  has  been  contributed  for  all  purposes  about  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  Of  this  amount  the  be:ievolent 
column  shows*a  total  of  about  eight  thousand  four  hundred  and 
fift}  dollars.  After  all,  the  benevolent  column  of  the  finances 
of  the  Church  is  the  most  important  of  all,  as  benevolence  is 
the  true  kind  of  giving.  It  is  disinterested  and  shows  the  love 
which  we  bear  to  Christ  and  His  needy  ones.  While  the 
benevolent  gifts  of  our  Church  cannot  compare  with  those  of 
larger  and  more  wealthy  churches,  yet  it  is  not  a  discreditable 
showing  when  we  consider  that  for  many  years  the  Church 
had  to  struggle  with  adversities  and  financial  embarrassments, 
while  its  membership  was  for  a  long  time  very  small.  Many 
of  the  societies  have  been  in  existence  but  a  few  years,  so  that 
their  contributions  do  not  increase  the  total  amount  as  much 
as  they  otherwise  would.  The  figures  given  above  represent 
not  the  gifts  of  the  wealthy,  but  of  those  in  moderate  circum- 
stances who  give  with  self-denial.  But  God  accepts  and  uses 
the  gifts  (if  those  who  contribute  in  this  manner.  Let  this 
benevolent  statement  be  only  a  beginning  which  the  Church 
will  be  able  largely  to  surpass  at  its  next  quarter  of  a  century 
celebration. 

The  Church  has  raised  for  its  own  expenses  over  ninety 
thousand  dollars.  It  is  not  within  the  power  of  human  reason 
to  decide  whether  the  amount  of  good  accomplished  in  the 
individual  souls  and  in  the  community  is  a  full  value  for  the 
money  expended.  God  does  not  keep  His  records  on  the 
same   system   of  book-keeping  as  we  are  apt  to  do.      But  it  is 

34 


to  be  hoped  that  the  money  thus  put  into  the  Church  treasury 
has  been  wisely  and  judiciously  expended  so  as  to  have  a 
moral  and  benevolent  effect  upon  the  community.  A  con- 
siderable amount  of  this  money  has  been  expended  in  the 
erection  of  our  present  building,  whose  fourth  anniversary 
we  celebrate  at  this  same  time. 

Feeling  the  need  of  more  accommodation  than  our  other 
building  afforded,  an  effort  was  made  in  1886  to  collect  money 
to  build  a  larger  and  more  commodious  structure.  The  necessity 
for  more  room  and  more  convenient  accommodations  compelled 
the  officers  to  take  steps  towards  the  securing  of  funds  for  the 
erection  of  a  better  building  in  which  to  worship  God.  The 
first  contribution  was  fifty-seven  dollars,  the  proceeds  of  an 
entertainment.  In  many  little  ways  this  amount  was  increased. 
Some  smiled  at  these  feeble  efforts  and  predicted  that  many 
years  would  elapse  before  sufficient  money  would  be  collected 
to  warrant  the  starting  of  a  church  edifice,  while  they  offered 
no  hopes  about  any  large  and  substantial  structure.  But  others, 
whose  faith  was  greater,  despised  not  the  day  of  small  things, 
but  trusting  in  God  and  putting  forth  their  own  efforts,  looked 
for  grand  results,  and,  as  in  all  cases  the  people  of  faith  and 
effort,  were  able  to  see  their  hopes  realized. 

Through  the  generosity  of  Mr  Josiah  F.  Dodd,  a  valuable 
plot  of  ground  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Dodd  Street  and 
Midland  Avenue,  consisting  of  seventy-five  feet  by  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  feet,  was  given  to  the  Church.  As  this  was 
more  suitable  for  a  large  edifice  than  the  former  Church  lot, 
the  gift  was  gladly  accepted,  while  it  added  a  stimulus  to  the 
workers  and  seemed  to  make  the  scheme  more  real  and  tangible 
to  the  faint-hearted.  Afterwards  the  lot  was  increased  by  a 
further  donation  of  twenty-five  feet  on  Dodd  Street,  while 
twenty-five  feet  additional  on  Midland  Avenue  was  purchased 
for  four  hundred  dollars.  This  amount  was  raised  by  private 
subscriptions  on  the  part  of  the  Building  Committee.  The 
work  was  still  further  aided  by  the  generous  contribution  of 
a  friend,  whose  name  must  be  held  by  request,  of  two  thousand 
dollars.      This    gift    was    appreciated    for    itself   and   the    good 

35 


wish  of  the  giver,  and  also  because  it  was  received  at  just  the 
right  opportunity  to  encourage  all  those  who  had  the  work  of 
the  new  Church  at  heart.  We  felt  that  we  were  not  working 
alone,  but  that  God  was  raising  up  generous  friends  of  the 
enterprise.  A  Building  Committee  was  elected  at  a  meeting 
of  the  parish  on  January,  1890.  It  consisted  of  the  board  of 
trustees  and  four  members  from  the  congregation,  as  follows  : 
Messrs.  Wm.  S.  Mills,  Jas.  R.  T.  McCarroll,  H.  B.  Thistle  and 
the  pastor.  It  immediately  set  to  work  to  select  an  architect 
and  plans.  Mr.  Isaac  Pursell,  of  Philadelphia,  was  chosen, 
and  the  plan  of  a  stone  building  adopted,  costing,  exclusive 
of  furnishings  and  windows,  twenty-three  thousand  dollars. 

Work  was  begun  on  the  new  Church  on   Monday,  July  21st, 
1890,    when    Rev.    James    H.    Marr,     in    the    pastor's    absence, 
formally  turned  the  first  spadeful  of  earth  for  the  excavation  of 
the    foundation.       The    corner-stone    was    laid    on    Wednesday, 
September  17th,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.     As  the  day  was 
stormy  it  was  feared  that  the  services  would  have  to  be  held 
under    cover.      But    the    rain    having    ceased   for  a  time  it   was 
decided  to  brave  the  elements  and  have  all  of  the  exercises  at  the 
place  where  the  cornerstone  was  to  be  laid.       Accordingly  the 
procession  formed  at  the    old   Church    and   marched  to  the  new 
site  on  Midland  Avenue.    The  pastor  led  with  the  invited  clergy. 
After  them  came  the  members  of  the  session,  deacons,  trustees 
and    building   committee.     They    were   followed    by   the    older 
members   of    the  Church   and   of  the  congregation  and  by  the 
children  of  the  Sunday  school.     The    procession  wound   around 
to  the  rear  of  the  Church  and  passed  on  the  temporary  floor  to 
the  front  of   the  Church.      The   ceremonies   had  hardly  begun 
before  the  rain  began  to  fall  and   the  services  were  held  under- 
neath umbrellas.     However,  the  rain  did  not  dampen  the  spirits 
of    the    worshipers.      The    services    opened    with    a    prayer    of 
invocation    by    the    Rev.    Henry    F.    Hickok,    D.D.,    of    Brick 
Church,    East    Orange,    and    the    doxology    was    sung    by    the 
congregation.     The  Scripture  lesson  from    ist  Corinthians,  3d 
chapter,    beginning   with    the    ninth    verse,    was  read    by   Rev. 
Stanley  White,  of  the  Hillside  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Orange. 

36 


The  cornerstone   hymn  was  then   sung   to  the  tune  of  Hebron, 
as  follows: 

"An  earthly  temple  here  we  raise, 
Lord  God,  our  Saviour  !  to  thy  praise  ; 
Oh,  make  thy  gracious  presence  known 
While  now  we  lay  its  cornerstone. 

"  Within  the  house  thy  servants  rear 
Deign  by  thy  Spirit  to  appear  ; 
On  all  its  walls  salvation  write. 
From  cornerstone  to  topmost  height. 

"And  when  this  temple,  "  made  with  hands," 
Upon  its  firm  foundation  stands. 
Oh,  may  we  all  with  loving  heart 
In  nobler  building  bear  a  part, 

"  When  every  polished  stone  shall  be 
A  human  soul  won  back  to  thee  ; 
All  resting  upon  Christ  above. 
The  chief  and  precious  cornerstone. 

"  So  when  our  toil  is  o'er  at  last, 
All  labor  in  both  temples  passed. 
Oh,  may  it  then  by  works  be  shown 
That  faith  hath  laid  this  cornerstone." 


At  the  close  of  this  hymn,  Mr.  William  S.  Mills,  chairman 
of  the  building  committee,  read  a  list  of  the  contents  of  the 
box,  which  were  as  follows  :  The  Holy  Bible;  the  Confession  of 
Faith  ;  an  historical  record  of  Bethel  Church  ;  a  list  of  members 
at  the  organization  of  the  Church  ;  a  list  of  meinbers  of  the 
Church,  September  17th,  1890;  the  names  of  the  officers  of  the 
Church  and  officers,  teachers  and  scholars  of  the  Sunday  school; 
the  names  of  the  architect  and  contractors  ;  pictures  of  the 
old  Church  and  of  the  old  Franklin  Schoolhouse ;  coins  of 
1890  ;  copies  of  the  Orange  Chronicle^  Journal,  Herald,  Volksbote 
and  Evening  Mail,  the  East  Orange  Gazette,  the  Newark 
Advertiser,  News  and  Journal,  the  New  York  Times,  Tribune  and 
Herald,  the  Church  at  Home  and  Abroad  for  September,  1890, 
the  Christian  at  Work  for  September   nth,    1890;  copies  of  the 

37 


Confession  and  Covenant  of  Bethel  Church,  the  year  text  and 
prayer  meeting  topics  for  1890,  the  annual  report  for  1889  and 
the  programme  of  the  order  of  services  of  laying  of  corner- 
stone. 

After  the  stone  had  been  placed  in  position  by  the  workmen 
the  pastor  formally  pronounced  the  stone  laid,  using  a  silver 
trowel,  which  was  provided  for  the  occasion.  A  prayer  of 
thanksgiving  and  dedication  was  then  offered  by  Rev.  George 
A.  Paull,  pastor  of  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  of 
Bloomfield.  After  the  congregation  had  sung  one  verse  of  the 
hymn,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord,  God  Almighty,"  the  benediction 
was  pronounced  by  Rev.  William  F.  Whitaker,  pastor  of  the  St. 
Cloud  Presbyterian  Church,  of  West  Orange.  On  the  following 
Sunday  a  sermon  appropriate  to  the  occasion  was  preached  by 
the  pastor. 

The  new  building  was  completed  in  November,  1891.  The 
interest  in  its  success  may  be  judged  from  the  special  donations 
which  were  given.  Three  large  and  handsome  memorial 
windows  were  donated,  as  follows  :  The  East  Window,  repre- 
senting Elijah  fed  by  the  ravens,  was  a  memorial  to  Mr.  Calvin 
Dodd,  one  of  the  first  elders  of  the  Church,  a  gift  of  Mrs.  Amzi 
Dodd.  The  South  Window  represents  Faith,  and  was  in 
memory  of  Mrs.  Hannah  Condit  Dodd.  It  was  donated  by  Mr. 
Samual  Dodd,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.  The  West  Window,  containing 
the  symbols  of  the  Cross  and  Alpha  and  Omega,  was  a  memorial 
to  Rev.  David  Irving,  D.D.,  a  gift  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  F.  Irving 
and  Rev.  David  O.  Irving.  A  smaller  window  on  the  west 
represents  a  dove  and  was  in  memory  of  Mrs.  Martha  Tucker, 
for  many  years  one  of  our  members,  and  was  a  gift  of  members 
of  her  family.  The  steam  heating  was  a  donation  of  Mr.  Amzi 
T.  Dodd.  The  Sunday  school  contributed  the  bell  and  furnished 
their  own  school  room.  A  class  of  young  men  provided  the 
pulpit  and  communion  furniture,  suggesting  that  the  pulpit 
should  always  keep  in  touch  with  the  young.  The  Ladies' 
Aid  Society  furnished  the  pews  and  carpet  in  the  Church  and 
the  Young  Ladies'  Missionary  Society  donated  the  cathedral 
glass  windows  in  the  Sunday  school  room.     The  organ  was  the 

38 


gift  of  a  few  of  the  members  who  agreed  to  raise  the  necessary 
funds  to  secure  it. 

On  Sunday,  November  ist.  1891,  farewell  services  were  held 
in  the  old  Church  building  before  a  crowded  audience.  The 
services  in  the  morning  consisted  of  reminiscences,  and  in  the 
evening  a  bright  and  hopeful  outlook,  under  the  guidance  of 
God's  Spirit,  was  set  forth.  In  the  afternoon  the  Sunday  school 
was  addressed  by  the  superintendent,  pastor  and  teachers. 
On  Tuesday  evening  of  that  week  the  last  prayer  meeting  was 
held  in  "the  place  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made."  It  was 
a  meeting  full  of  tender  recollections,  blessed  associations  and 
hopeful  anticipations.  Testimonies  from  this  one  and  that  one 
who  had  been  born  into  the  kingdom  of  God  in  that  place  were 
feelingly  given. 

The  dedication  Sabbath,  November  8th,  was  a  bright  and 
beautiful. one,  and  the  new  building  was  crowded  by  the  regular 
members  of  the  congregation,  former  members,  and  friends  of 
the  Church.  The  services  opened  with  the  singing  of  the 
doxology,  which  was  followed  by  the  prayer  of  invocation  and 
the  Lord's  Prayer.  The  hymn  "  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord,  God 
Almighty,"  was  then  sung  by  the  congregation.  A  specially 
prepared  Scripture  lesson  was  then  read  responsively.  The 
prayer  of  dedication  was  then  offered  by  the  pastor.  After 
singing  the  hymn  beginning,  "O  Thou  whose  own  vast  temple 
stands,"  the  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  M.  W.  Jacobus, 
professor  in  the  Hartford  Theological  Seminary.  The  dedica- 
tion offerings  were  then  collected,  and  the  services  closed  with 
the  familiar  hymn,  "All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name." 

In  the  afternoon  the  Sunday  school  held  a  special  service, 
which  was  largely  attended.  The  school  met  at  half-past  two 
in  the  Sunday  school  room,  where  two  hymns  w^ere  sung  and  a 
prayer  dedicating  that  room  to  Almighty  God  was  offered 
by  the  superintendent,  Mr.  William  S.  Mills.  The  school 
then  marched  into  the  Church  where  they  were  addressed 
by  Mr.  David  L.  Wallace,  superintendent  of  the  Central 
Church  Sunday  school,  of  Orange  ;  Mr.  Silas  M.  Giddings, 
president    of  the    Brooklyn    Sunday    School   Union  ;  and    Rev. 

4x 


James  H.  Marr,  pastor  of  the  Beacon  Presbyterian  Chinch^ 
of  Philadelphia. 

In  the  evening  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  held  a  short 
service,  and  in  the  Church  another  large  congregation  gathered 
to  hear  Rev.  Mr.  Marr,  the  former  pastor,  preach.  On  Monday 
evening  a  service  of  welcome  was  held  when  addresses  by  the 
following  Presbyterian  pastors  of  the  Oranges  were  made  : 
Rev.  Henry  M.  Storrs,  D.D.,  of  the  First  Church  of  Orange  ;. 
Rev.  Henry  F.  Hickok,  D.D.,  of  Brick  Church  ;  Rev.  James  M. 
Ludlow,  D.D.,  of  First  Church  of  East  Orange  ;  Rev.  William 
F.  Whitaker,  of  St.  Cloud  ;  Rev.  Stanley  White,  of  Hillside 
avenue ;  and  Rev.  S.  J.  McClenaghan,  of  Elmwood  Mission. 
A  letter  of  congratulation  was  read  from  Rev.  Rufus  S.  Green, 
D.D.,  who  was  detained  at  home  by  illness.  On  Tuesday 
evening  a  very  earnest  prayer  meeting  was  held,  the  first  in  the 
new  Church.  On  the  following  evening  another  service  of  wel- 
come was  held  when  addresses  were  delivered  by  Rev.  E.  D. 
Clough,  of  the  Washington  Street  Baptist  Church  ;  Rev.  Mr. 
Clement,  of  the  Watsessing  M.  E.  Church  ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Kem- 
ble,  of  the  Ferry  Methodist  Church.  Letters  of  regret  were 
read  from  Rev.  F.  W.  Baldwin,  of  the  Trinity  Congregational 
Church  and  Rev.  Mr.  Dickinson,  of  the  North  Orange  Baptist 
Church. 

The  following  Sabbath  was  observed  as  a  sacramental  one, 
when  we  welcomed  into  our  number  eight  on  profession  of  their 
faith  in  their  Saviour  and  nine  by  letter  from  other  churches. 
In  this  manner  we  entered  upon  the  larger  work  in  our  new 
building,  praising  God  for  His  goodness  and  relying  upon  Him 
for  His  help  and  guidance.  I'he  prayer  and  desire  of  many 
could  be  well  expressed  by  the  poet  Bryant: 

"  May  faith  grow  firm  and  love  grow  warm 
And  pure  devotion  rise. 
While  round  these  hallowed  walls  the  storm 
Of  earth-born  passion  dies." 

In  moving  into  our  new  edifice  we  incurred  a  larger  debt 
than  we  had  hoped  to  carry,  owing  to  the  failure  of  some  funds 

42 


we  were  led  to  expect  to  receive.  But  the  people  nobly 
shouldered  the  burden  of  seventeen  thousand  dollars,  and  by 
the  realization  of  three  thousand  and  five  hundred  dollars  from 
the  sale  of  our  old  lot  and  building  and  by  the  aid  of  the  Debt 
Lifting  League  we  have  been  able  to  reduce  this  amount  by 
more  than  one-half,  and  we  are  led  to  believe  that  the  remainder 
will  soon  be  wiped  out  as  one  practical  result  of  our  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary.  The  load  was  at  first  very  difficult  to  carry, 
as  we  all  felt  the  recent  depression  of  the  times,  while  the  rate 
of  interest  to  be  paid  was  unexpectedly  increased.  But  the 
Lord  stood  by  us  and  we  render  all  the  glory  to  Him.  With  a 
smaller  financial  burden  to  carry  we  will  be  able  to  bear  a 
larger  share  of  our  responsibility  in  the  work  of  the  Universal 
Church  in  extending  the  cause  of  Christ  throughout  the  world. 
In  glancing  at  the  spiritual  history  of  the  Church  we  can 
rejoice  that  we  have  been  making  some  progress  through  the 
blessing  of  God  upon  our  efforts.  The  original  twenty-seven 
members  have  increased  to  three  hundred  and  twenty.  There 
has  been  received  into  membership  since  the  organization  of 
the  Church  a  total  of  four  hundred  and  seventy-sev^en.  Two 
hundred  and  twenty-four  of  these  on  profession  of  faith  in 
Christ  and  two  hundred  and  fifty-three  by  letter  from  other 
churches.  We  have  lost  by  death  thirty-one  and  by  removals 
one  hundred  and  twenty-six.  Our  growth  has  been  gradual 
rather  than  rapid.  There  has  been  only  one  season  of  revival 
during  the  twenty-five  years,  and  that  was  in  1893.  At  that 
time  our  Church  united  with  other  churches  of  East  Orange  in 
the  evangelistic  services  held  in  the  Munn  Avenue  Presbyterian 
Church  from  November  6th  to  13th,  under  the  direction  of  Rev. 
B.  Fay  Mills.  These  meetings  were  productive  of  great  bless- 
ings. As  a  result  of  those  special  services,  we  received  twenty- 
five  into  our  fellowship  on  profession  of  their  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  many  of  whom  were  representatives  of  the  young  people. 
But  we  cannot  tabulate  in  figures  the  spiritual  benefits  derived 
in  the  deepening  of  the  religious  feeling,  the  quickening  of 
Christian  zeal  and  the  awakening  of  the  individual  conscience, 
showing  that  God's  Spirit  was  at  work  in  our  midst.    Those  who- 

43 


were  present  at  the  prayer  meetings,  held  in  our  lecture  rocjm 
the  week  after  the  general  meetings  were  finished,  probably  will 
never  efface  from  their  memories  the  delightfully  solemn  im- 
pressions then  made,  as  night  after  night  for  three  weeks  the 
people  crowded  into  the  room  of  prayer  and  consecration.  All 
other  engagements  were  given  up  for  those  evenings  and  little 
else  could  be  talked  about  during  those  days.  One  very  hope- 
ful and  interesting  feature  of  the  work  was  the  effect  it  had 
upon  the  young,  especially  in  the  Sunday  school.  Sabbath, 
November  12th,  was  a  day  of  religious  interest,  when  one 
hundred  and  twenty-two  scholars  signed  cards  signifying  their 
desire  to  become  Christians  or  to  lead  a  more  consecrated  life. 
Nor  did  the  work  stop  here,  for  the  influence  of  these  children 
was  felt  in  the  home,  and  parents  were  brought  to  the  Saviour, 
thus  confirming  the  words  of  Scripture,  that  "a  litttle  child 
shall  lead  them." 

While  this  has  been  the  only  revival  to  record  since  our 
Church  was  organized,  yet  it  would  be  unfair  to  draw  any  lesson 
from  it  showing  lack  of  zeal  for  the  welfare  of  souls  or  want  of 
desire  for  the  presence  of  God's  power.  The  Holy  Spirit,  like 
the  wind,  cannot  be  directed  whence  He  cometh  nor  whither 
He  goeth.  Many  faithful  ones  have  been  praying  and  working 
for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  their  history  is  written  by  the 
Heavenly  Historian  in  the  records  on  high.  So  far  as  their 
influence  has  been  felt  in  the  history  of  our  Church  we  can  only 
describe  it  in  a  general  way.  But  their  prayers  and  faithful 
eff^orts  have  helped  in  many  ways  to  keep  alive  the  spiritual 
interests  of  the  Church,  while  the  lack  of  the  outpouring  of  the 
spiritual  blessings  upon  us  has  been  a  source  of  sorrow  to  them. 

One  evidence  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  blessing  may  be  seen  in 
the  increased  interest  taken  in  the  subject  of  missions.  Not  only 
by  our  gifts  is  this  interest  to  be  measured,  but  by  the  growth 
of  the  missionar}^  societies  and  their  increased  work.  Even 
the  young  in  the  Sunday  school  and  in  their  various  societies 
have  felt  the  claims  of  the  needy  upon  them.  By  their  reading, 
their  different  missionary  meetings  and  their  wide-awake  interest 
in  returned  missionaries,  many  have  proved  that  this  cause  is 

44 


INTERIOR   OF  OLD   CHURCH 


becoming  dearer  to  their  hearts.  While  this  spirit  is  not  as 
active  nor  as  extensive  as  some  of  us  would  like,  yet  its  growth 
is  a  cause  for  congratulation  and  a  hope  of  a  brighter  future. 
While  we  give  of  our  means  to  the  cause  of  missions,  let  us  also 
give  ourselves  to  this  great  work  of  evangelizing  the  world.  In 
all  our  Church's  history  we  cannot  record  the  name  of  a  single 
missionary  who  has  gone  out  from  our  midst.  Let  this  past 
neglect  be  more  than  met  in  coming  years  by  the  consecration 
of  many  earnest  souls  for  the  Lord's  work  in  foreign  lands.  In 
fact  we  have  but  one  from  our  membership  who  has  gone  out  to 
preach  the  gospel,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Warrender,  who  united  with 
the  Church  September  2d,  1873.  If  parents  would  only  conse- 
crate their  children  to  this  work  of  the  Church  and  seek  to 
influence  them  in  this  direction  the  coming  years  would  show  a 
greater  gain  in  the  missionary  spirit  and  missionary  work.  Our 
Church  is  sufficiently  strong  and  large  to  be  personally  repre- 
sented on  many  of  the  mission  fields  of  the  world. 

"  We  sow  in  tears  ;  but  let  us  keep 

Our  faith  in  Christ  and  trust  Him  still  ; 
Yonder  our  harvest  we  shall  reap. 

Where  gladness  every  heart  shall  fill." 

In  glancing  forward  we  should  see  our  needs  so  as  to  meet 
them  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  hold  out  hopes  so  as  to  fulfill 
them  as  ambitiously  and  earnestly  as  we  can,  relying  wholly 
upon  Divine  grace  and  guidance.  But  it  may  not  be  amiss 
to  refer  to  a  few  points  upon  which  we  can  improve. 

1.  We  should  seek  as  soon  as  possible  to  pay  off  all  of  our 
indebtedness.  This  we  can  do  if  we  earnestly  and  consecratedly 
set  ourselves  to  do  it.  This  we  ought  to  do  for  our  own  temporal 
and  spiritual  good,  and  for  the  benefit  which  we  can  render  to 
others.  We  have  been  enabled  to  reduce  the  mortgage  more 
than  one-haif  since  we  started  four  years  ago  and  with  faith  and 
effort  we  will  soon  see  it  vanish  entirely,  leaving  us  free  to  do 
greater  work  for  the  Lord. 

2.  The  Church  should  support  its  own  Sunday  school. 
Our  circumstances  and  history  make   the   relation  of  the  school 

47 


to  the  Church  rather  unusual,  but  the  Church  is  now  strong 
enough  financially  to  care  for  the  school.  This  would  be  only 
about  one  hundred  dollars  additional  every  year  and  it  would 
leave  the  school  free  to  train  the  scholars  in  the  work  of  benevo- 
lence. Perhaps  the  Sunday  school  would  then  be  able  to 
undertake  by  itself  to  erect  a  larger  and  more  suitable  bu  Iding 
in  which  to  hold  its  sessions.  Already  the  infant  department 
is  obliged  to  meet  in  the  old  Church  on  account  of  its  crowded 
condition,  and  other  parts  of  the  school  give  an  indication  that 
larger  accommodations  will  soon  be  needed.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  a  more  commodious  structure  of  wood  be  erected  on 
the  property  adjoining  the  present  building  on  the  north  for  the 
Sunday  school  and  that  the  rooms  we  already  have  be  used  for 
the  prayer  meetings  of  the  different  societies,  as  well  as  for  ail 
social  meetings  of  the  Church.  It  is  hoped  that  this  suggestion 
may  meet  with  favor  and  that  some  practical  means  of  carrying 
it  out  may  soon  be  found.  The  important  work  of  our  Church 
has  always  been  the  Sunday  school,  and  this  department  should 
not  be  overlooked.  In  our  Sunday  school  work  we  should  keep 
in  touch  with  the  more  advanced  educational  ideas  and  we 
should  use  the  most  approved  methods  to  make  that  branch  of 
the  Church  the  most  successful. 

3.  It  may  be  a  question  for  us  to  decide  in  the  future 
whether  we  should  seek  to  make  our  work  more  of  the  nature  of 
an  institutional  church  and,  if  so,  to  what  extent.  We  have 
always  maintained  the  voluntary  system  of  support  so  that  none 
need  feel  that  they  are  too  poor  to  come  to  God's  house.  We 
want  them  to  feel  at  home  with  us  and  we  should  strive  to  make 
them  feel  at  home  in  our  Bethel.  Providence  has  given  to  us  a 
grand  opportunity  and  we  should  not  refuse  to  accept  God's 
leadings.  With  a  free  library  and  reading-room  open  every 
week-day  evening,  where  many  could  go,  who  have  now  no 
place  to  resort  which  is  elevating,  we  might  be  able  to  reach 
many  careless  ones  who  would  not  be  attracted  to  our  religious 
services.  A  sewing  class  for  the  children  of  the  poor  would 
prove  a  blessing  to  many  a  needy  home.  The  employment  of  a 
Bible  reader  to  bring  the  story  of  Jesus  and  His  love  into  many 

48 


a  neglected  household  would  be  another  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  God  of  reaching  and  saving  souls,  besides  brightening 
their  homes.  Let  no  one  think  that  these  ideas  are  visionary, 
for  if  the  Lord  opens  the  wav  let  our  faith  and  courage  be 
strong   enough  to  follow. 

4.  A  last  suggestion  could  be  given  about  the  developing 
and  training  of  children  for  the  ministerial  and  missionary  life. 
Our  Church  is  large  enough  to  have  many  workers  on  the  field. 
But  parents  must  consecrate  their  children  when  young  to  this 
service  and  bring  them  up  with  earnest  and  believing  prayers 
for  such  a  work.  Let  there  be  a  deepening  of  spiritual  life  and 
a  quickening  of  faith  in  God  and  an  arousing  of  love  for  souls 
and  then  there  will  be  many  pressing  into  the  ministry,  saying, 
"Woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel  of  Christ." 

May  this  prospect  cheer  and  encourage,  arouse  and  enkindle 
all  in  this  Bethel  10  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  in  this  place, 
while  the  retrospect  may  increase  our  faith  as  it  shows  how 
much  can  be  done  when  there  is  united  effort,  even  if  it  is  by 
the  comparatively  humble  and  feeble  exertions. 


NAMES    OF   THE    MEMBERS  WHO  JOINED   BETHEL  CHIRCH    AT 
ITS    ORCiANIZATION,    NOVEMBER  13TI1,   1870: 

Calvin  Dodd,*  Eliza  Doud,  jR..t 

JosiAH  F.  Dodd,*  Nancy  M.  Dodd,* 

Eleanor  Dodd,  Sarah  S.   Downs. 

David  Hunter,*  Mary  E.  Downs, 

Margaret  Hunter,*  Peter  S.  Vincent, f 

Eliza  Hunter,  Eliza  L.  Vincent,! 

Margaret  McLane,*  Julia  Vincent, 

Sarah  McLane,  William  S.  Vincent,! 

Sarah  A.   Ray,  William  S.  Mills, 

Phebe  Van  Orden,*  Elizabeth  Mills,* 

Alexander  Hunter,!  Israel  Dodd, 

Annie  Hunter,!  Angeline  Dodd, 

Eliza  Dodd,  Sr.,*  Anna  M.  Taylor,! 
Charles   M.    Davis.! 


*  Deceased. 

t  Dismissed  to  other  churches. 

ELDERS  OF  BETHEL  CHURCH. 

Elected.  Ceased  to  Act. 

Charles  M.   Davis November  20th,  1&70  1875 

Calvin  Dodd January        5th,  1872  1874 

JosiAH   F.   Dodd January        5th,  1872  1875 

Ira  H.   Patrev May  4th,  1875  1878 

W.   Irven  Soverel May  4th,  1875 

Charles  M.   Riker May  4th,  1875 

William  S.   Mills January        Sth,  1878 

George  K.  Sutphen January      nth,  1881  1892 

James  R.  T.  McCarroll.  ..  .January       12th,  1S87       December  Sth,  1892 

A.  B.  Spinning "January      13th,  1888 

Herbert   F.  Soverei January,  1892 

William  B.  Martin April,  nth,  1893 

DEACONS  OF  BETHEL  CHURCH. 

Caleb  Riker January 

Charles  M.   Riker January 

Alexander   Hunter January 

William  S.   Mills January 

Ira  Dodd January 

Lewis  Smith,  Sr.* January 

James  Gilmour January 

W.  W.  Westervelt January 

Ira  H.  Patrey   ...  .January 

George  M.  Tyler March, 

Henry  Smith March, 

Herbert  F.  Soverel January 

George  B.   Hicinbotham.  ...January 


Elected. 

Ceased  to  Act. 

5th,  1872 

1876 

5th,  1872 

1878 

5th,  1872 

■  1874 

nth,  1874 

1880 

J Ith,  1876 

1879 

8th,  1878 

14th,  1879 

1891 

I2th,  1S80 

1883 

gth,  1883 

1887 

1887 

1887 

15th,  1891 

1894 

17th,  1894 

*  Died  February  7th,  1892. 

50 


TRUSTEES  OF  BETHEL  CHURCH. 


Nicholas  Albey January 

W.  I.  SovEREL January 

Lewis  Smith,  J r January 

Henry  Smith January 

Ira  Patrey January 

Alexander  Hunter January 

Thomas  Walker  . January 

George  H.  Kutchfk January 

W.  M.  Van  Ness January 

Caleb  Riker January 

James  Gilmour January 

Benjamin  Parkhurst January 

Charles  M.   Whitlock January 

Stephen  W.   Herdman January 

Fletcher  Place,  Jr   January 

Silas    W.   Dodd January 

George  Law January 

John  H.   Moore  January 

David  W.  Ball January 

H.  a.   Hickok ..January 


.ECTED 

Ceased  to  Act 

13th, 

1874 

1877 

I3t-h, 

1874 

i8gi 

13th, 

1874 

1877 

13th, 

1874 

1877 

13th, 

1874 

1876 

nth, 

1876 

1877 

9th, 

1877 

gth. 

1877 

gth, 

1877 

i88g 

gth, 

1877 

i87g 

Sth, 

1879 

1881 

nth. 

i88r 

1888 

nth, 

1888 

1890 

nth. 

1888 

i88q 

i6th, 

i88g 

i8g5 

i6th. 

18S9 

15th, 

189T 

i8g:l 

rsth. 

i8gi 

17th, 

i8q4 

17th, 

1895 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENTS 

John  CoNDir  Wilkinson 1832  1842 

David  Riker ..1848  1859 

Charles  Crane 1859  1865 

I.  H.  Gerry 1805  1871 

Charles  M.  Davis 1871  1873 

James  Gilmour 1873  (January  to  June.) 

Charles  M.  Davis , 1873  (June.)  1875 

Rev.  James  H.   Marr   ..      1875  1882 

Thomas  J.   Davis 1882  1884 

William  S.   Mills 1884  1893 

William  B.  Martin 1893  1894 

William  S.  Mills 1894  i8g6 

YEAR  TEXTS. 

1886  "  Let  us  put  on  the  armour  of  light."     Roms.  13:12. 

18S7  "  Holding  forth  the  Word  of  life."     Phil.  2:16. 

1888  "  Who  went  about  doing  good."     Acts  10:38. 

1889  "  Follow  me  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men."     Matt.  4:19. 

1890  "  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory."     Col.  1:27. 

1891  "  For  other  foundation   can  no   man  lay  than  that  is   laid,   which    is 

Jesus  Christ."     i  Cor.  3:11. 

1892  "  Walk  as  children  of  light."     Eph.  5:8. 

1893  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ."     Roms.  8:35. 

1894  "Yield  yourselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  are  alive  from  the  dead." 

Roms.  6:13. 

1895  "All  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth."     Mark  9:23. 


51 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICE 

OF 

REV.  JAMES  H.   MARR. 

James  Hervey  Marr  was  born  in  Levvisburg,  Pa.,  April  3d, 
1842.  His  father,  Rev.  P.  B.  Marr,  was  pastor  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  that  place.  He  thus  came  from  a  ministerial 
family,  as  not  only  his  father,  but  also  his  grandfather  on  his 
mother's  side,  had  served  the  Lord  in  that  capacity.  The 
unfeigned  faith  of  the  parents  was  thus  transmitted  to  the  son. 
It  was  only  natural  that  he  should  have  inherited  the  taste,  as 
well  as  the  right,  for  the  gospel  ministry,  having  descended 
from  such  godly  ancestors  and  reared  amidst  such  sacred 
influences.  Having  been  early  given  to  the  Lord  by  these  parents, 
the  Heavenly  Father  accepted  the  gift  and  shaped  his  course 
so  that  he  could  be  useful  in  his  chosen  field. 

One  who  knew  him  well  has  written  about  his  early  life 
in  these  words  :  "  His  mother  had  often  remarked  that  original 
sin  showed  itself  before  a  child  was  six  months  old.  She  had 
made  it  the  rule  to  repress  the  evil  from  infancy,  and,  though 
he  was  the  fourth  child,  she  had  never  failed  in  bringing  the 
youthful  rebels  under  control  at  an  early  period.  When  James 
was  to  be  subjugated  she  found  a  difficult  problem  on  hand, 
as  he  scarcely  knew  how  to  yield.  She  was  perplexed,  and 
expressed  her  alarm  to  an  experienced  friend,  who  told  her 
that  the  strong  will  might  be  a  source  of  great  good  ;  that  she 
should  rely  on  prayer  and  the  good  example  of  the  older 
children  to  bring  the  boy  into  the  paths  of  righteousness.  It 
seemed  to  her  a  dangerous  experiment,  but  she  waited.  The 
early  tendencies  of  the  boy  were  in  the  main  correct.  He 
showed  an    indomitable   energy   and    unvielding  determination 

52 


in  everything  he  undertook.  He  dug  and  planted  a  large 
garden  at  some  distance  from  home,  often  rising  at  four  in  the 
morning  to  carry  on  the  task  outside  of  shady  hours,  and  in 
due  season  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  turning  in  a  quota  to 
the  family  support.  It  was  a  household  of  activity  and  he  was 
ready  to  bear  his  part  of  the  burden.* 

"  He  entered  the  University  of  Lewisburg  and  completed 
his  course  in  i860.  Graduating  when  only  seventeen  years  old, 
the  youngest  in  his  class,  he  took  the  first  honors.  He  then 
entered  the  junior  class  of  Princeton  College  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1862.  He  soon  had  a  high  position  in  his  class 
there,  though  making  his  support  largely  from  his  own  exer- 
tions. After  leaving  college  he  entered  the  Princeton  Theolog- 
ical Seminary.  When  he  graduated  in  the  Class  of  1865  he  was 
well  equipped  for  a  scholarly  life  in  some  settled  pastorate  in 
the  East.  The  German  and  French  tongues  were  at  his  com- 
mand as  well  as  the  classic.  It  was  his  habit  early  in  his  min- 
istry to  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  each  day  of  the  week  in  dif- 
ferent languages." 

After  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  he  spent  a  short 
time  in  Baltimore  as  a  stated  supply,  then  a  few  months  in 
Central  Pennsylvania.  Like  the  great  apostle,  he  sought  to 
avoid  building  upon  another  man's  foundation.  The  needs  of 
the  West  then  opening  for  the  farmer,  miner  and  pioneer,  called 
him  to  bear  the  standard  of  the  cross  to  those  destitute  portions. 
Accordingly,  in  1866,  he  settled  in  Minnesota  as  a  home  mission- 
ary, and  established  the  three  churches  at  La  Crescent,  Hokah 
and  Brownsville.  Blessed  by  nature  with  a  strong  and  wiry 
constitution,  he  was  not  afraid  of  hard  work,  and  his  willingness 
in  this  respect  often  had  an  opportunity  to  exercise  itself  in 
those  frontier  towns. 

The  next  year  he  proceeded  to  San  F'rancisco.  His  trip  to 
California  was  a  specimen  of  his  daring  and  energy.  He  fretted 
under  the  slow  progress  made  by  the  caravan  through  Texas, 
and  taking  a  large  mule  as  his  only  aid  and  companion,  he  started 

*  "G."  in   The  Presbyterian^  June  lolh,  i8q5. 

53 


on  ahead  to  ferret  out  the  way  through  New  Mexico,  Arizona 
and  Southern  California.  He  traveled  by  night  to  escape  the 
murderous  Indian,  and  sought  obscure  retreats  during  the  day. 
He  joined  the  Presbytery  of  San  Francisco  and  was  ordained  as 
an  evangelist  on  the  twenty-first  of  March,  1868.  He  established 
the  Howard  Street  Church  of  that  city  and  remained  as  its 
stated  supply  until  1869,  when  feeling  that  his  enterprise  there 
was  well  established  he  turned  toward  the  Iiast.  His  return 
was  waited  for  by  his  parents  with  eager  longing.  His  first 
token  of  filial  affection  and  old-time  solicitude  for  his  mother's 
comfort  was  shown  by  handing  her  out  of  his  scant  savings  a 
hundred  dollars  in  gold  which  a  kind  friend  had  given  him  as 
he  departed  from  the  land  of  gold. 

In  the  Summer  of  1870  he  settled  in  East  Orange,  and  when 
the  Bethel  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in  November  of 
that  year  he  was  chosen  as  the  stated  supply.  The  name 
"  Bethel  "  was  suggested  by  him,  and  that  name  will  always  be 
a  benediction  from  him  since  he  has  gone  home  to  worship  God 
in  the  Heavenly  Bethel,  "the  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  Heavens." 

The  discouragements  of  the  new  undertaking  would  have 
wearied  the  heart  of  many  another  minister,  but  Mr.  Marr,  with 
his  characteristic  determination  and  perseverance,  conquered 
all  of  these  difficulties  and  built  up  a  strong  and  well  organized 
church,  free  of  all  indebtedness,  with  a  large  membership  and  a 
still  larger  Sunday  school.  Many  of  the  poor  and  needy  of  the 
community,  whether  members  of  the  Church  or  not,  felt  the 
influence  of  his  self-denying  and  persistent  labor. 

After  having  served  this  Cnurch  for  more  than  eleven  years, 
he  departed  in  January,  1882,  to  become  the  pastor  of  the 
Cumberland  Street  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  Kensington 
district  of  Philadelphia.  That  church  had  greatly  run 
down,  but  his  organizing  force  was  largely  felt  in  its  upbuilding. 
The  next  year  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  the 
Chandler  Memorial  Church,  and  in  1886  it  was  again  changed 
to  the  Beacon  Presbyterian  Church.  He  became  associated  with 
Rev.     Francis    Robbins,    D.D.,    who   looked    chiefly    after    the 

54 


finances  while  Mr.  Marr  attended  largely  to  the  routine  work  of 
the  pulpit  and  parish.  Together  they  planned  the  large  organi- 
zation it  afterwards  became.  Thus  from  a  membership  of  only 
sixty-five  and  a  Sunday  school  of  four  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven,  meeting  in  what  had  been  a  mill,  the  work  grew  in  eleven 
years  into  a  church  membership  of  six  hundred  and  fifty  and 
the  Sunday  school  of  one  thousand  and  ninety-six,  meeting  in  a 
large  and  handsome  building,  with  rooms  for  sewing  classes, 
cooking  classes,  night  schools  and  a  free  medical  dispensary. 

He  resigned  his  position  as  co-pastor  of  the  Beacon  Church 
in  1893  and  supplied  vacant  churches  whenever  he  was  called 
upon.  When  death  came  he  was  at  his  house  near  Point 
Pleasant,  N.  J.  On  June  3d,  1895,  "he  had  risen  from  the  table 
with  the  remark  that  he  felt  in  perfect  health,  and  he  submitted 
to  the  summons,  which  came  in  about  an  hour  after,  with  a 
protest,  saying  that  there  were  some  things  he  wished  to 
accomplish  before  going.  But  when  it  became  apparent  that 
the  summons  was  peremptory  and  a  final  call  from  above,  he 
acquiesced,  saying  that  he  was  ready  if  it  were  the  Father's 
will,  and  that  it  was  in  accordance  with  his  wish  to  die  in 
this  speedy  manner.  After  giving  a  few  words  of  consolation 
to  his  wife  and  of  admonition  to  his  boy,  he  turned  over  and 
breathed  his  last."  "The  rapid  action  of  occult  pneumonia 
alone  accounted  for  the  sudden  collapse  of  his  vigorous  consti- 
tution." He  thus  passed  away  apparently  in  the  midst  of 
health. 

Mr.  Marr  was  a  man  of  a  strong  physical  constitution  and 
an  iron  will.  He  worked  through  Summer's  heat  and  Wini.er's 
cold.  "  He  never  took  a  vacation  in  his  twenty-eight  years  of 
service  nor  missed  an  engagement  through  illness."  He  was 
self-denying,  thinking  but  little  of  his  own  needs  but  much  of 
his  people's  requirements  among  whom  he  worked.  Capable 
of  filling  a  lucrative  position  in  the  mercantile  world,  he  gave 
his  talents  to  the  Lord's  cause,  receiving  but  small  compensation 
in  all  of  his  fields  of  labor.  He  was  a  man  of  warm  piety  and 
decided  character.  He  loved  to  preach  the  gospel  and  he  was 
untiring  in  pastoral  work,  especially  among  the  poor,  the  needy 

55 


and  the  sick.  From  childhood  his  "characteristics  were  an 
indomitable  will  and  energy,  conscientiousness  and  courage  ; 
always  cheerful,  strictly  honorable  and  having  remarkable 
self-control."  These  characteristics  he  maintained  throughout 
his  life.  No  word  of  jealousy  escaped  his  lips  nor  spirit  of 
indictiveness  showed  itself  in  him.  He  was  remarkably  guarded 
in  his  statements  about  others.  Socially  he  was  genial  and 
affable  ;  his  friendships  were  of  the  strongest.  He  was  happily 
constituted  so  as  to  accommodate  himself  to  his  surroundings, 
and  in  his  different  fields  of  labor  his  circumstances  were  not 
always  the  most  comfortable.  He  has  finished  his  course  as  a 
true  son  of  God  and  a  faithful  helper  of  man. 

Minute  adopted  by  the  session  on  the  death  of  Kev.  James 
H.  Marr  : 

It  is  with  deep  regret  that  we  have  heard  of  the  sudden  death  of  Rev. 
James  H.  Marr,  the  first  pastor  of  this  Church,  at  his  home  at  Beacon-by-the- 
Sea,  New  Jersey,  on  June  3d,  1885. 

We,  as  a  session,  desire  to  put  on  record  our  high  regard  for  his 
Christian  character,  his  deep  piety,  his  earnest  zeal  for  the  Master's  cause, 
and  his  love  for  all  things  which  related  to  the  Lord's  kingdom.  As  the 
organizer  of  this  Church,  he  worked  with  indomitable  perseverance,  courage 
and  charity  until  he  had  developed  it  from  a  small  mission  church,  to  a  self- 
supporting  one.  Its  success  is  largely  due  to  his  ability,  fidelity  and  dis- 
criminating judgment. 

We  realize  that  by  his  death  this  Church  has  lost  a  true  friend  and  helper, 
and  that  the  church  at  large  has  lost  a  faithful  and  zealous  worker.  We 
submissively  bow  in  resignation  to  the  All-wise  Providence  of  God  in  thus 
removing  from  his  earthly  work  one  of  His  zealous  followers. 

We  tender  our  sincere  sympathy  to  his  widow  and  family,  and  we  offer 
our  prayers  for  God's  blessing  and  comfort. 

We  direct  that  a  copy  of  this  minute  be  sent  to  the  family  and  that  it  be 
spread  upon  our  records. 


Bv  order  of  the  Session. 


DavH)  O.    Irvini;,   Moderator. 
William  S.   Mills,  Clerk. 


56 


? 


